1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to the field of barricade post assemblies and particularly to a barricade post assembly that obstructs passage in an upright position, can be lowered to a non-obstructing collapsed position, or that can be removed and replaced at will. An optional cover assembly provides weather protection and added security.
2. Background Art
Barricade posts of the type discussed herein are commonly used for control of vehicular traffic. The operation of the typical barricade post is fairly simple. When placed in its operating position, the barricade post assembly blocks traffic. When removed or collapsed, the barricade post assembly allows the free movement of traffic. A number of patents, discussed below, have attempted to make the transition from the blocking position to the unblocking position as convenient as possible. The instant invention improves on the prior designs by combining versatility, economy, utility and convenience.
When deployed, the barricade post is used either to keep vehicular traffic in or keep it out. An example of using a barricade post for keeping vehicular traffic in is using it across the driveway of an automobile dealership. During the day, the barricade post is removed or collapsed to permit the free passage of automobiles on and off the lot. The barricade posts are returned to their barricading position after closing, thereby keeping the vehicles in and impeding their theft. The barricade post can also be used to protect a single automobile from theft. For instance, a car parked in a parking space with a wall in front of it could be secured by positioning a barricade post relatively close to the rear bumper of the car. Unless the barricade post is removed or collapsed, the car is constrained between the barricade post and the wall. A second barricade post also could be placed in front of the car if there is nothing else available to impede the forward movement of the car.
The second major use of barricade posts is to keep vehicular traffic out of a particular location. For instance, a barricade post can keep unauthorized users out of a reserved parking space. Keeping an automobile out of a residential driveway can discourage theft. As another example, it is often desirable to keep most vehicles out of an area while permitting access for emergency vehicles. A pedestrian mall in a downtown shopping area is an example of this. Sometimes a barricade post is useful for simply directing traffic. For instance, in a parking lot during a football game, a barricade post could force most the traffic to one side of the parking lot, while permitting the spaces nearest the stadium to be used only by season ticket holders.
A third major use for barricade posts is to protect an object against the damage that a vehicle can cause to it. For instance, oil and gas meters are frequently protected by sinking steel pipe barricades into concrete at various points around the meter. This is effective for protecting the meter, but access to the meter for repair is limited by the barricade's permanent installation.
The utility of barricade posts for the control of traffic, for the protection of objects, and for security, has long been recognized and many designs have been proposed. For instance, in 1933, a telescoping traffic guard was taught in U.S. Pat. No. 1,916,787 (Elston). The traffic guard discussed in Elston is comprised of a barricade post and a sleeve assembly. The whole assembly is buried in the ground. When the barricade post is needed, it is pulled from the sleeve and it automatically latches when it reaches its upright position. Variations on this telescopic configuration are found in U.S. Pat. No. 5,192,159 (Higginson) and U.S. Pat. No. 5,365,694 (Macaluso). Both of these patents have barricade posts contained in sleeves that are buried. To deploy the barricade posts, they are pulled up into position. Higginson secures the barricade post in position by using a handle to move a cross bar that is attached to the post into engagement with the sleeve. Macaluso teaches a tongue that flops out when the barricade post is extended. A padlock attached to the tongue keeps the post from returning to its sleeve.
The second type of barricade post found in the background art involves a collapsible barricade post. These patents teach a bracket connected to the ground and a barricade post connected to the bracket by a pivot pin. In an upright position, the barricade post assembly blocks traffic. When the barricade post is collapsed about the pivot pin, it is possible for traffic to pass over the barricade. The barricade posts taught in these patents, however, can not be removed but only collapsed--the brackets are mounted permanently to the ground. Examples of these patents include U.S. Pat. No. 3,061,960 (Dull), U.S. Pat. No. 3,417,508 (Sprung), U.S. Pat. No. 3,688,439 (Doxsee), U.S. Pat. No. 4,762,439 (Carlyle), and U.S. Pat. No. 5,018,902 (Miller et al.).
A third type of barricade post is taught in U.S. Pat. No. 4,062,149 (Collins) and U.S. Pat. No. 5,509,754 (Conigliaro). These patents teach a sleeve and barricade post combination. The sleeve is permanently secured in a base location and the barricade post is inserted into the sleeve. The barricade post can be removed from the sleeve when not in use and placed in storage. The barricade posts taught in these patents do not collapse into a non-obstructing position--they must be completely removed.